Ken Fleming - C#/D Button Accordion Informance
Ken has played traditional Irish music for 30 years on a number of instruments including guitar, bouzouki, tenor banjo, mandolin, tinwhistle, button accordion and Anglo concertina. Ken and his wife Peggy are co-founders of the Southwest Celtic Music Association and the North Texas Irish Festival of which Ken was their first president and festival director respectively. He has also been a member of Tinker’s Dam, Waifs & Strays, Loose Change and is a current member of Jigsaw, the Lone Star Ceili Band and the Trinity Hall Session Players. He is the founder and president of the Traditional Irish Music Education Society (TIMES) and the founder and director of the O'Flaherty Irish Music Retreat.
Mark Kenneth - Piano Accordion
Born and raised in Scotland, Mark was first exposed to the accordion at age four when he refused to leave the band alone at a cousin's wedding. To stop him from climbing inside the case and going with the band, his folks placated him with promises of an accordion when he "got bigger"...he did. He was "classically trained" from an early age, completed his practical and theory exams with the British College of Accordionists and competed regularly in both All-Scotland and All-Britain championships, winning many competitions over the years, including All-Scotland Under 18 titles and All-Britain Classical Duet. He started playing in Scottish dance bands when he was around 14 years old, and began at that time to make regular appearances on stage with touring Scottish shows both in the UK and overseas. After leaving Scotland in the late 90s, he has lived in Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East before moving to the USA, his trusty box always in tow. He finally made his way to Texas for a brief stint in Houston, before moving to Dallas and now performing with Jiggernaut.